1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a setting method of a field device that is capable of performing setting for each field device, to which a communication line used in control data communication is connected, through a terminal device.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-217251, filed Sep. 30, 2011, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
All patents, patent applications, patent publications, scientific articles, and the like, which will hereinafter be cited or identified in the present application, will hereby be incorporated by reference in their entirety in order to describe more fully the state of the art to which the present invention pertains.
When a field device is installed in a plant or when setting for the field device is changed, a setting process for various parameters such as device information and information necessary for communication is performed on the field device via communication.
FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a configuration example of a field control system in accordance with the related art. As shown in FIG. 4, the field control system includes a group of field devices having a field device 1, a multiplexer 2 connected to an upper level of the field device 1, a field controller 3 connected to an upper level of the multiplexer 2, and a manipulation monitoring device 4 and a connection terminal device 5 which are connected to an upper level of the field controller 3.
The manipulation monitoring device 4 performs an operation and monitoring related to field control of the field device 1 by using communication through a communication path that is via the multiplexer 2 and the field controller 3.
The connection terminal device 5 performs an operation for setting device information or information necessary for communication on the field device 1 through a communication path that is via the multiplexer 2 and the field controller 3. The connection terminal device 5 stores a device management database for which data input and data update are necessary corresponding to setting for the field device 1.
Next, an operation procedure when the setting process for the field device 1 is performed will be described. Two methods will be described below as examples of an operation method.
(Method 1)
The connection terminal device 5, which is a host, performs setting for the field device 1 by performing communication with the field device 1 through the communication path via the field controller 3 and the multiplexer 2.
In Method 1, the setting operation is performed by using the connection terminal device 5. Thereby, the connection terminal device 5 performs setting for the field device 1 and data input or data update to the device management database stored in the connection terminal device 5 simultaneously in parallel.
In Method 1, the field control uses the communication path between the field device 1 and the manipulation monitoring device. Thereby, the communication speed when performing setting for the field device 1 may be lowered, depending on the number of field devices, performance of the field controller 3 or the like, and thus the setting process may require a long time.
When setting for the field device 1 is performed, setting is necessary to specify a communication path for access from the connection terminal device 5 to the field device 1. For example, it is necessary to specify connection ports of the field controller 3 and the multiplexer 2 so that the connection terminal device 5 specifies the communication path to connect to the field device 1. As such, when the scale of the field control system is large, a complicated procedure is necessary.
(Method 2)
A portable terminal device 6 is used to perform setting for the field device 1. In Method 2, while the portable terminal device 6 is directly connected to the field device 1, input operations to an operation screen and an operation unit in the portable terminal device 6 are performed. Thereby, it is possible to write information to the field device 1.
In Method 2, since the portable terminal device 6 is directly connected to the field device 1, an operation in the field of a plant is necessary. In addition, it is difficult to access the connection terminal device 5 from the portable terminal device 6. As such, data input or data update to the device management database stored in the connection terminal device 5 needs to be performed through an operation on the connection terminal device 5, differently from the setting operation using the portable terminal device 6. For this reason, both an operation by an operator in the field of a plant and an operation by another operator in a control room or an instrument panel room, in which the connection terminal device 5 is installed, are necessary. As such, it is difficult for the operators to cooperate.